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VANCOUVER — Whatever noise eventually surrounds Quinn Hughes this season, the Vancouver Canucks defenceman is determined that his play and on-ice focus wonâ€t be part of it.

Entering a season when there will be conjecture everywhere the Canucks travel in the National Hockey League about Hughes†future and whether he will want to play with his American brothers in New Jersey rather than re-sign in Vancouver next summer, the 26-year-old defenceman has looked in training camp fiercely focussed on playing for — and leading — his current team.

Whatever happens, no one is going to be able to accuse the captain of not giving everything he has to the Canucks and trying to help them win.

“Yeah, that’s probably my biggest stress,†Hughes said Tuesday, “where I put so much pressure on myself — making sure that I do everything that I’m supposed to do for the team. And not having a year where Iâ€m not doing the things that I want to do. That’s like my biggest fear, anyone’s biggest fear. But that’s what always keeps me pushing and keeps me hungry. You know, I never think I’m good enough, so that’s always driving me.â€

As with many of the most skilled and dynamic players in the game, Hughes†competitiveness is often underrated. But it has been overt since the Canucks training camp opened in Penticton on Thursday.

It was evident in the only scrimmage of camp, on Saturday, when Hughes actually waved away a line change to stay on the ice after one dominant offensive shift ended with a scoring chance and a faceoff. And it was obvious again Tuesday, after a team day off, in the way Hughes competed physically in small-area battle drills that ended both split-squad practices at the University of B.C.

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Taking almost every shift since camp opened with his regular blue-line partner, Hughes and Filip Hronek have been leading by example, helping set the tone for intensity.

“I don’t even know if I was trying to set a tone,†Hughes said of his scrimmage doubleshift. “I just want to make sure that I’m ready to go. And if I’m ready to go, then that helps the team. Just like, you know, if Brock (Boeser) is ready to go, that helps the team. I didn’t do any scrimmaging during the summer because I was working on some other things, so that’s where I just wanted to make sure I’m getting reps and my energy felt good. Iâ€m trying to push myself.

“I mean, I think we have a lot of competitive guys that want to have good years. We have some really good players here as well, and I think that helps just driving the skates. And then we have young guys competing (for a spot) — a guy like Linus Karlsson that’s been right there for a couple years. We have lots of guys like that. And I just think that makes a competitive camp.â€

Head coach Adam Foote and general manager Patrik Allvin have spoken in general terms about how pleased theyâ€ve been with players†summer preparation and their readiness to work and compete at camp and in the pre-season.

Not many were saying that a year ago when off-season (or pre-season) injuries affected several key players and undermined preparation for a regular season that became one of the most fractured and disappointing in franchise history — even as the team under departed head coach Rick Tocchet finished with 90 points and stayed in the playoff race until the second-to-last week of the regular season.

Foote, who was Tocchetâ€s top assistant, stressed in summer Zoom meetings with his leadership group that players needed to take responsibility for team culture and hold each other accountable.

In an interview three weeks ago with Sportsnet, Hughes said Foote “can teach us and bring us closer. We can have a team. I mean, you look at Florida and they have a ton of talent, but theyâ€re a team. And thatâ€s something we can be.â€

On Tuesday, after five days of official practices, Hughes said the Canucks are moving towards that key goal.

“Obviously, we’re not as talented as some teams, but we do have good talent,†he said. “And, I mean, we can make guys better within the group, and Footy can make guys better. We really don’t know what we are until we see. But as far as us being a team, I think that that’s definitely something we can control. It’s early, but it’s been a good start to that.

“I just think that we have probably more of a connected group now. Everyone’s on the same page, and I think that we’re excited to get going. Everyone knew it was a long summer and wanted to be ready to go. I mean, I’m looking forward to playing some exhibition games and kind of getting back that (competitive) feeling and getting my mind right. And I know other guys are as well.â€

And what about that “noise†that Hughes warned us about earlier this month, when he vowed not to be distracted by conjecture about his future?

Actually, he said Tuesday, the only real noise so far was caused by his younger brother, Jack, who said during the NHL media summit in Las Vegas two weeks ago that, of course, heâ€d love to play with Quinn.

“We didnâ€t even talk after he said that,†Hughes smiled. “The noise hasnâ€t been much. I don’t really think that that will be the noise (around the team). I think the noise will be if we lose three in a row, or we lose the first two games of the season. We’re going to have to remain mentally strong. For myself, I’m going to have to remain mentally strong. I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself and putting a lot of pressure on this team to have the year I think we can have.â€

ICE CHIPS – Vancouver plays its second of six pre-season games Wednesday in Abbotsford, B.C., against the Calgary Flames, icing another young lineup that will include three centres trying to push their way up the NHL from the Canucks†AHL championship team, as well as the organizationâ€s three best defence prospects: Elias Pettersson (Junior), Victor Mancini and Tom Willander. Defencemen Tyler Myers and Marcus Pettersson are the key veterans, but the playing group that practised Tuesday also included starting goalie Thatcher Demko. . . Winger Conor Garland sat out Tuesdayâ€s practices. Foote called it precautionary, part of planning for an Olympic season that has condensed the NHL schedule, and said Garland would be playing if it was the season-opener. . . The Canucks†second practice group Tuesday featured what could be the first-unit power play: Hughes at the point, with Boeser in the bumper and Jake DeBrusk at the netfront, centre Elias Pettersson making plays on from his off-wing and newcomer Evander Kane skating downhill from the left flank. This practice group is expected to provide the bulk of the lineup for Fridayâ€s game against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena.

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WWE

WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer became the promotion’s first Chilean-born world champion at Wrestlepalooza 2025, adding the belt to a collection that already includes the NXT Women’s Championship and NXT Women’s North American Championship. However, the build up to her Wrestlepalooza clash with IYO SKY seemed off; according to Paul “Triple H” Levesque, there was a valid reason for her absence.

“She absolutely does have it all,” Levesque said after being told how much of an impact Vaquer has with the fans during the Wrestlepalooza Post Show. “I’ll let everybody in on a behind-the-scenes secret to Stephanie: in the last few weeks, Stephanie has been very sick.” Levesque explained that Vaquer had been suffering form a flu-type disease, which led to her missing several television dates. “It was why there was some odd build to it and she was able to feel well enough and get cleared medically tonight,” he added.

Levesque then praised Vaquer for being able to perform at the level she did at Wrestlepalooza against SKY and capture the Women’s World Championship. “She’s been here for a very short time, so as we move forward now, she becomes a dominant force,” he noted. “The landscape of WWE and the Women’s Division just changed with Stephanie Vaquer becoming the Women’s Champion.”

If you use any quotes form this article, please credit the WWE Wrestlepalooza Post Show and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Sports Mole challenges you to name the leading Test run scorers in history, with 15 players having gone past 10,000 runs.

Steven Smith became the 15th member of the 10,000-run club earlier this week during Australia‘s Test match with Sri Lanka.

The 35-year-old has already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest Test players of all time with 41 half-centuries and 35 tons during his illustrious career.

On this occasion, Smith recorded a knock of 141 from 251 balls to help put his nation in control in the first Test match in Galle.

In doing so, Smith strengthened his position of fourth in the all-time Australian listings, still having some way to go to break into the top three.

With the ongoing series in Sri Lanka featuring just two matches, and with Australia not back in action in the five-day format until June, Smith faces a wait before making any further progress up the standings.

Nevertheless, still playing at an average of 56.33, the argument remains that Smith could eventually end his career as the best Test player of all time.

Here, Sports Mole challenges you to name all of the other players to accumulate more than 10,000 runs in the history of Test cricket.

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